House Bill 5639
Sponsor: Rep. Ruth Johnson
Committee: Local Government and Urban
Policy
Complete to 4-20-00
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5639 AS INTRODUCED 4-18-00
House Bill 5639 would amend the Dog Law of 1919 to give county boards of commissioners two additional options for establishing dog license application periods. Under the bill, a dog's owner could apply for a license by June 1 every year, or by June 1 every year or every third year, at the owner's option.
Currently the owner of a dog that is 4 months of age or older must apply for a dog license to the treasurer of the county, township, or city where she or he resides. The application tells the breed, sex, age, color, and markings of the dog, and the name and address of the last previous owner. In addition, the license application must be accompanied by a valid certificate of a current vaccination for rabies, signed by an accredited veterinarian. The owner must make application for the license annually, on or before March 1, unless the county board of commissioners adopts a resolution to the contrary.
Further and under the law, the county board of commissioners can, with the approval of the county treasurer, provide four licensing options for dogs, if the board adopts a resolution during the 60-day period before the start of the county's fiscal year. If a resolution is adopted, the law requires that it provide for one of the following: a) that the owner apply for a license by March 1 every year or every third year, at the owner's option; b) that the owner apply for a license by the last day of the month of the dog's current rabies vaccination, every year; c) that the owner apply for a license by the last day of the month of the dog's current rabies vaccination, or of the anniversary of the dog's current rabies vaccination, every third year; or, d) that the owner apply for a license by one of the following at the owner's option: i) the last day of the month of the dog's current rabies vaccination every year, or ii) the last day of the month of the dog's current rabies vaccination, or of the anniversary of the dog's current rabies vaccination, every third year. House Bill 5639 would delete "or of the anniversary of the dog's current rabies vaccination" from both options (c)and (d), above.
The bill also specifies that if a dog is licensed before it becomes five months old and is subsequently spayed or neutered before it becomes seven months old, then the owner of the dog may exchange the license and receive a refund for the difference in the cost of the licenses. However, this provision would apply only if the county board of commissioners has adopted a resolution to that effect during the 60-day period before the beginning of the county's fiscal year, and had obtained the written approval of the county treasurer.
Further, House Bill 5639 specifies that the expiration date of a license issued under options (c), (d), or (e) above would be the earlier of the following: (i) one year or three years, as applicable, after the date on which the license was required to be obtained; or, if earlier (ii) the expiration date of the dog's rabies vaccination.
Finally, the bill specifies a second date by which township and city treasurers must return all unused tags, the books from which dog licenses have been issued, receipts and records showing the name of the person issued each license, and a full description of each dog. Currently the township and city treasurers must convey their records to the county treasurer on or before March 1. House Bill 5639 retains that date, but adds, or June 1, for any county operating under either of two new options that are proposed by the bill.
MCL 287.266 et al
Analyst: J. Hunault